What stands out worked out from the figures below

Ashland has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.5%).

Sutton has the shortest commute (30 min average).

What matters to you?

Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Ashland	Sutton
People
Population	18,873Highest	9,452Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+13.5%Highest MA: +7.4%	+4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	42.1±1.4Lowest 5% above MA	44.3±2.5Highest 11% above MA
	Sutton and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4%	19.6%±3.3Highest MA: 19.4%
	Sutton and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	18.2%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9%	18.8%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9%
	Sutton and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	60.7%Highest MA: 47.3%	52.8%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.4%±1.2Highest MA: 7.9%	3.9%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Ashland and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$127,539±$11kLowest 23% above MA	$147,125±$25kHighest 42% above MA
	Sutton and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$611,700±$18kHighest 9% above MA	$523,100±$47kLowest 7% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,452±$298Highest 39% above MA	$1,190±$401Lowest 32% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,444Highest 24% above MA	$6,763Lowest 13% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	55.2%±14.2Highest MA: 51.8%	47.5%±24.4Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Ashland and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.5%Lowest MA: 10%	5.8%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	75.3%Lowest MA: 62.5%	89.7%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA	1981Lowest 17 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	37 minHighest 26% above MA	30 minLowest about the MA average
Work from home	22.7%±3.3 MA: 18.6%	22.7%±4.1 MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#42 of 282 in MA	#105 of 282 in MA
School district	Ashland	Sutton
High school in town	Ashland High	Sutton High School
Students per teacherat that high school	14.0Highest	12.6Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	None yet	None yet

MA average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.